Western scrub-jay
Aphelocoma californica
Identification Tips:
- Sturdy, dark bill
- Pale supercilium with darker cheeks
- Blue head, rump, wings and tail
- Gray-brown back
- Gray or white throat with dark lower border
- Grayish underparts
- Birds from Washington to California have brighter blue upperparts and
whiter throats than birds from the interior portion of the range
Similar species:
The Mexican Jay, an inhabitant of southeastern Arizona, is similar to
the Western Scrub-Jay but has uniform underparts lacking the white throat and
dark collar and more evenly colored upperparts. Pinyon Jay has blue
underparts and a shorter tail.